


Good Intentions

by obeytherandomness



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Dragon Sickness, Gold Sickness, Illnesses, M/M, Magic, Rebirth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 15:10:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5631097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obeytherandomness/pseuds/obeytherandomness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gandalf sends Thorin to find a creature deep in the mountain that supposedly could save him from the illness currently killing his people. He never expected to know said creature.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Intentions

“I don’t know if he’ll make it,” Oin said to Thrain.

“My son is strong,” the dwarven prince hissed. “He will survive. I am sure of it.”

“No one has survived this illness,” Oin shook his head.

“There must be something that we can do,” Thrain said. “Even if it’s a long shot.”

“There is a myth,” said Gandalf, a wizard who had come from far off lands to give his opinion on the matter, but still could not do anything to help. “A long time ago all who came near the mountain fell under the curse of a dragon. They all fell ill to dragon sickness. There was only one creature who was not affected and, in order to save the whole of the kingdom, he locked all of the magic away within himself. It is said that he still lives somewhere inside the mountain, trapped for what he had done. He may be able to heal the prince, but the prince must be the one to find him.”

Thrain pounded his fist against the table. “He cannot move from his bed,” he said. “I will go. Surely, the creature will understand.”

“No,” Thorin replied as he sat up from where everyone else in the room thought he was sleeping. “If it is my only chance, then I shall find him.”

“My son,” Thrain tried to protest.

“I will go, Ada,” Thorin said, “and there is nothing that you can do to stop me.”

Thrain would have argued more, but he knew his son well. Even if he threatened to lock his son in this room, Thorin would just knock it down and take out the guards. It was best just to go along with it and at least be able to send someone along with him. “You will take Dwalin and Balin, then,” he said in a way that brooked no opposition. Dwalin and Balin were Thorin’s good friends anyway, so they should be acceptable to him as guards during this quest.

“Am I allowed to bring others with me?” Thorin asked Gandalf.

“You can bring whosoever you wish. Only, it must be you who finds the creature deep in the mountain.”

“Very well,” Thorin nodded, “then all of you will leave me while I dress. Send for Dwalin and Balin. I will be ready within the hour.”

Oin bowed and did as he was told and Gandalf nodded and left the room, but Thrain hesitated. “Are you sure about this, son?”

“I am sure, Ada” Thorin nodded. “If at all possible, I should like to see if the creature can heal everyone.”

Thrain sighed. “You are too good, my son. Be careful.”

“I will Ada. Dwalin and Balin will make sure of it.”

* * *

 

 

* * *

 

Getting deep within the mountain was a long and arduous task. It took them three days and it was only the fact that Balin had made sure that both he and his brother carried supplies of food and medicine that kept them from turning back at any point. Still, the prince was quickly getting worse without any rest. He was running out of time and the two brothers that were guarding him were sincerely considering turning back when Thorin stopped.

“Do you hear that?” he asked them.

“I hear nothing,” Dwalin replied.

“What is it that you hear?” asked Balin.

“There is someone humming,” Thorin pointed down a hall that the brothers would not have even known existed had he not shown it. The, in itself, was strange as, even without a map, dwarves had a good sense of direction below ground and almost always knew where they were.

“It seems that Gandalf was right with his claim that only you can find the creature,” Balin said. “Let us go and find him.”

Thorin nodded absently and made his way into the hall, but he was quickly stopped by something in his path. “What is this?” he asked as he ran his hand along the things that were forming a gate before him. “Vines?”

“Why would plants be down here?” Dwalin asked of his brother who was generally known as the smarter of the two.

“I don’t know,” Balin shook his head. “There is no sun down here to aid in its growth. There should be no plants at all.”

“I don’t care,” Thorin said. “Cut it down.” And Dwalin did so with the two axes that almost never left his person, but the vines were thicker than expected, almost like the roots of a tree, so it took him at least an hour to do so. They were forced to spend another night in the caves after just getting past the vines despite Thorin’s desire to move on.

* * *

 

The next morning, when the dwarves woke, they found that the vines had grown back and they were trapped inside the cave. They could of course, cut their way back out again, but Thorin wasn’t really concerned with doing so since he knew he was close to the creature. “This way,” he said to his friends as he made his way deeper into the cavern, following the sound of someone humming deep in the mountain. 

It wasn’t long before all the dwarves were forced to stop with the shock of what they saw before them. Despite the lack of any cracks to the mountains walls, there was light filling the entirety of a large cavern with a large tree in the center and other such plants scattered throughout. Had it not been dwarves who found this place, as dwarves loved the rocks they lived under far more than plants, it could have been called beautiful, but as it was dwarves the only thing they could think was that the entirety of the place was not right.

Yet, Thorin felt stronger than he ever had. The sickness that had befallen him seemed nothing more than a distant memory in this place. Death didn’t even seem possible. 

“What is this magic?” growled Dwalin, gripping his axes, ready to fight. Ever since the curse of the dragon magic was generally mistrusted by the dwarves except that which came from the grey wizard.

“I do not know,” Balin replied, just as warily, but Thorin ignored them both.

“Hello!” he called out to the large area. He could not see any person despite the fact that there were practically no places to hide, but he trusted that what Tharkun said was true.

“Leave this place,” came the reply from the top of the tree. “You should not be here.”

“I have come to seek your aid,” Thorin said determinedly.

“I cannot give it,” replied the creature.

“Gandalf, the Grey Wizard, said that you were our only hope,” Balin tried.

“He was mistaken,” the creature replied. “I can do nothing to assist you.”

“Come out and face us,” Dwalin growled, raising his axe and heading straight for the tree with every intention of cutting it down to see the creature that would deny their prince. But he was stopped before he could even make his first step by creeping vines around his feet. “What in Mahal’s name!” Both Balin and Thorin looked down to find themselves in the same predicament.

“Leave this place,” the creature said again. “You should not be here.”

“We cannot leave when our feet are trapped,” Balin tried to reason.

“Promise me that you will leave and I shall release you to go. You cannot come any closer.”

“What do you want from us to make you help us?” Thorin said.

“I cannot help you no matter what Gandalf claims. I do not know why he has sent you down here, but whatever his intentions were they were wrong.”

“I refuse to believe that,” Thorin growled. “You are my only hope. Gandalf said that your magic would heal me.”

“Did Gandalf also tell you how I received my magic?” the creature asked. “That the only way I did so was by locking away the curse that befell your people.”

“Of course,” Balin replied hoping to get into the good graces of the creature that held them captive. “He told us your story. It seems to be a sad one. But he also claimed that we may be able to release you from your captivity if we should find you. Is that not what you want?”

“If you release me, then the curse will also be released,” the creature replied. “I will not watch you fall to that sickness. Not again. Now leave and do not return to this place.”

“I will not leave,” Thorin growled. “You would rather let my people die in pain and suffering than come out of your little hole. I will not allow it. I will make you save my people even if I have to drag you out of here myself.” Suddenly, he took his sword, an elven sword that had been passed on to him from his ancestors, from his belt and hacked at the vines that held him still. Yet, the only thing that accomplished was that the vines also captured his sword.

“Oh Thorin,” the creature sighed. “You are as stubborn as always, but I cannot let you do this. No matter how many times you come to visit me by Gandalf’s words, I will not leave this place and put you all in danger again. I am here to protect you and there is nothing that will stop me from doing so.”

“I have been here before?” Thorin asked.

“Many times,” the creature agreed, “over many lifetimes. I do not understand why you cannot go to the halls of Mahal.”

“Because I refuse to go without you!” Now Thorin had no clue as to what he was actually saying, but it just felt right. “Come down and let me see you. please.”

“I cannot,” the creature said. “If I do, then I fear you will never leave.”

“Then I will never leave either way,” Thorin said.

“Thorin!” Balin gasped. “Your people need you.”

“I will die if I leave here anyway,” Thorin disagreed. “What good will I do my people then. Let me stay here. You both go back. Let them go and they will leave this place on my order.”

“You must go with them,” the creature replied. “You cannot stay here. This is not your place. You are to be king of this mountain.”

“I will not make it that long if I leave here,” Thorin said. “Let me stay and let them go. I will not leave without you.” Even with his protests, though, Thorin felt the vines lift him and his two companions and force them out. “No!” he growled, hacking at his captors. Surprisingly, even to himself the vines let him go and he ran towards the tree. “If you will not come down, then I will come to you,” he growled, as he began to climb. Despite never really leaving the mountains, dwarves were very good climbers because they had to do so all the time as they mined their walls. He was too quick for the vines to catch him again and he was nearly to the top before he froze. 

“Bilbo?” he gasped, finally catching sight of the creature sitting in the tree. The hobbit was just as he remembered him being. A young, innocent creature who didn’t deserve the world being thrust upon him in the way that it had been. He should never have even come to this mountain, but, more importantly, he should not be here at all. “We thought you were dead,” he said, reaching out to the hobbit who pulled away from him.

“Don’t touch me Thorin,” Bilbo shook his head. “I don’t think I’ll be able to hold the curse back if you do.”

“You don’t need to,” Thorin said desperately. “I was breaking free of the gold sickness. It was weakening. You can let go. Even if we fall under the gold madness again, we will not fall to it forever. Just let go.”

“You’re lying to me,” Bilbo said. “I saw how you were. I don’t want that to ever happen again.”

“I know,” Thorin said. “I know how cruel I was. I remember everything, but after I hurt you, after I almost killed you, I couldn’t live with myself as I was. I was breaking free of it. Just give me the chance, Bilbo. I promise that everything will be okay this time.”

“I don’t believe you,” Bilbo said, moving farther up the tree when Thorin tried to reach for him once more.

“Then let me prove it,” Thorin said. “I will do anything you ask of me. I love you Bilbo, and I will not leave you down here by yourself ever again.”

“You’ve asked this of me before,” Bilbo shook his head, “and always you fail. I don’t think my heart can stand anymore.”

“I will not fail this time. Give me one last chance Bilbo. Just one last chance.”

Bilbo sighed, but reached down to unbutton his waistcoat and shirt, which were also surprisingly kept whole despite the years they had lived. When the cloth fell away, it revealed the Arkenstone pressed into Bilbo’s chest where the hobbit’s heart should be. “If you want this stone, you have to kill me,” Bilbo said. 

Thorin moved closer to Bilbo, who stayed where he was and waited, never taking his eyes away from the beautiful stone that had caused him and his people so much troubles when he reclaimed the mountain all those many years ago. He reached forward, wanting to touch it, wanting to rip it from Bilbo’s body, but the moment his fingers made contact and he felt the warmth of Bilbo once more he knew what he must do. He reached his other arm out and wrapped it around the hobbit, pulling him as close as their bodies would allow. “No matter what,” he whispered in the hobbit’s ear. “No matter what, I will not leave you down here alone ever again. Come with me. Let’s leave this place. Stay by my side as my consort. Let me fulfill the promise I made to you all those years ago.”

“You don’t want the stone?!” Bilbo gasped even as his body fell limp with the warmth of another finally encompassing him.

“I would give up the entirety of the wealth in this mountain, just to have you at my side once more. That time that we were travelling to reclaim my homeland was the happiest of my life. Please make me even happier and become my consort.”

“I can’t,” Bilbo shook his head. “Even though you were able to fight the gold sickness, there is no knowing if any of the others will be able to do the same. I can’t take that chance. I’m sorry Thorin. Please leave me here. I will not let this curse ruin your people once more.”

Thorin sighed and pulled away, searching Bilbo’s face as he did so. The hobbit clearly wanted to go with him, but was forcing himself to stay. Thorin would not allow this to happen. “Then let me prove to you that my people can handle it.”

“How will you do that?” Bilbo asked with wide eyes.

“Like this!” And with that, Thorin used his grip on the hobbit to lift the creature up and jump down from the tree. The moment his feet hit the ground he took off running towards the exit. The vines suddenly became even more ferocious as they tried to stop him, but he simply sprinted as hard as he could towards the exit. “Run!” he called to his friends who had worked their way out of their own captivity and immediately did as told. Dwalin would take his axe to the vines at the end of this place and hopefully have it all cut down before Thorin got there.

“What are you doing?!” Bilbo gasped, trying and failing to work his way free of Thorin’s grip. 

“I am getting you out of here,” Thorin said determinedly. “Even if I have to drag you out myself!”

* * *

 

Despite the ferocity of the vines, Dwalin was able to hack away at them with just enough room for the four of them to escape before they closed again. The moment Thorin stepped out of the magical cage with its captive in his arms, a wave of magic suddenly broke free and all dwarves felt its warmth as it travelled throughout the mountain, healing its sick as it once had before the dragon came. Still, Thorin kept running with Dwalin and Balin on his tail until they found the wizard waiting for them at the end of the hall. He may have even continued to run, if the grave look Gandalf gave him wasn’t so damn disconcerting.

“Thorin,” Bilbo whispered, reaching up to weakly caress the dwarf’s cheek, “thank you.” He looked suddenly very weak and very sick, as though he had been suffering for some time and was finally reaching the end of it all.

“What is happening?” Thorin demanded of the wizard as he cradled the hobbit close to his chest.

“The magic was the only thing keeping him alive for this long,” Gandalf replied. “The moment he broke free of it, he no longer had it to do so. He is dying.”

“What?!” Thorin gasped. “Why did you not tell me this?”

“Please Thorin,” Bilbo said. “Look at me.”

“There must be something that you can do for him!” Thorin yelled at the wizard. “Anything!” 

“There is nothing,” Gandalf shook his head. “His life is ended.”

“Please look at me,” Bilbo begged and Thorin finally did so with tears in his eyes. “Thank you so much for freeing me. I’m so happy.”

“No!” Thorin gasped as Bilbo’s eyes closed. “No! Please don’t leave me! Please!”

“I’ll wait for you,” Bilbo said. “I’ll always wait for you.”

The last thing Bilbo heard as he slipped into the darkness before the afterlife was the screams of the dwarf that he had fallen in love with so many years ago. With a smile he promised Thorin one last time, even in his own head, that he would wait as long as it took just like he had in the midst of the cursed magic.

**Author's Note:**

> I got the idea of this story from this music video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYQs0Tb7DH8.
> 
> Also, the words to this song (https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Bad-Wolf-2/Good-Intentions) really remind me of Thorin.


End file.
